Contents at a Glance Introduction... 1 Par t I: Living for Linguistics... 7 Chapter 1: Scrubbing In to Master Medical Terminology...9 Chapter 2: Medical Terminology: The How and Why...17 Chapter 3: Introducing the Big Three: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes...25 Chapter 4: Acronyms, Eponyms, Homonyms, Multiples, and Plurals Oh My!...37 Chapter 5 Say What? Pronunciation and Usage...51 Par t II: Mapping Words and Bodies... 61 Chapter 6: s It Was in the Beginning: Prefixes...63 Chapter 7: So It Shall Be in the End: Suffixes...73 Chapter 8: Hey, I Know You: Word Recognition...81 Chapter 9: Deconstruction Junction: Breaking Down Words...91 Chapter 10: An Org Chart to Live By: Organization of the Body...101 Chapter 11: All Systems Go: When Systems Combine...111 Par t III: In Terms of Anatomy... 121 Chapter 12: Boning Up on the Skeletal System...123 Chapter 13: Getting Ripped: The Muscular System...141 Chapter 14: Skin Deep: Skin, Glands, Nails, and Hair...155 Chapter 15: It Depends on Your Perception: The Sensory Systems...169 Par t IV: Let s Get Some Physiology Terminology... 187 Chapter 16: The Heart of the Matter: The Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems...189 Chapter 17: Just Breathe: The Respiratory System...211 Chapter 18: Feeding Time: The Gastrointestinal System...227 Chapter 19: Gatekeepers of Health: The Endocrine System...245 Chapter 20: Calming Down: The Nervous System...261 COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Par t V: Name That Plumbing... 275 Chapter 21: When You Gotta Go: The Urinary System...277 Chapter 22: Checking the Plumbing: The Male Reproductive System...291 Chapter 23: A Life Force: The Female Reproductive System...303
Par t VI: The Par t of Tens... 321 Chapter 24: Ten Essential Medical Terminology References...323 Chapter 25: Ten or So Useful Mnemonic Devices...327 Chapter 26: Ten Fun Word-Building Activities...331 Appendix: Prefixes and Suffixes... 337 Index... 343
Table of Contents Introduction... 1 About This Book...1 Conventions Used in This Book...2 Foolish Assumptions...3 How This Book Is Organized...3 Part I: Living for Linguistics...4 Part II: Mapping Words and Bodies...4 Part III: In Terms of Anatomy...5 Part IV: Let s Get Some Physiology Terminology...5 Part V: Name That Plumbing...5 Part VI: The Part of Tens...5 Where to Go from Here...6 Par t I: Living for Linguistics... 7 Chapter 1: Scrubbing In to Master Medical Terminology...........9 The Tale Behind the Terms...9 Making Terminology Work for You...10 Building a Foundation of Vocabulary...12 In Terms of Anatomy...12 All Systems Go...13 Down Under Details...15 The Ultimate Resource: You...16 Chapter 2: Medical Terminology: The How and Why..............17 Defining Medical Terminology...17 Using Medical Terminology in the Real World...18 In theory and practice...19 Writing it down...19 Changes in Medical Terminology...20 It s Greek and Latin to Me...21 Modernizing Medicine...22 Chapter 3: Introducing the Big Three: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes..................................................25 Rooting Around for Answers...26 Exterior root words...26 Interior root words...28 Prefix as Precursor...33 Common Prefixes...34 Suffixes: Final Thoughts...35
x Medical Terminology For Dummies Chapter 4: Acronyms, Eponyms, Homonyms, Multiples, and Plurals Oh My!...............................37 Acronyms...38 Eponyms...40 Homonyms...41 Deriving a Plural the Medical Way...42 Medical rules for forming plurals...42 English rules of forming plurals...45 Welcome to the Peanut Gallery: More Exceptions to the Plural Rules...46 Chapter 5: Say What? Pronunciation and Usage..................51 Hooked on Phonics...51 Pronouncing Common Prefixes and Beginning Sounds...52 The sound of silence...52 From your ear to the dictionary...53 Pronouncing Common Suffixes and Endings...54 Pronouncing Common Combinations...55 Putting It All Together...56 What Condition Your Condition Is In...57 Suffering Suffixes...58 Par t II: Mapping Words and Bodies... 61 Chapter 6: As It Was in the Beginning: Prefixes...................63 Common Prefixes...63 A E prefixes...64 F J prefixes...65 K O prefixes...65 P Z prefixes...66 Matching Prefixes to Situations...67 In your body...67 In the doctor s office and hospital...68 In the pharmacy and research lab...69 Retro Root Rewind A M...69 Chapter 7: So It Shall Be in the End: Suffixes.....................73 Common Suffixes...73 -itis...73 -oma...74 -pathy...74 And lots more suffixes...74 Matching Suffixes to Situations...76 In your body...77 In the doctor s office and hospital...78 Retro Root Rewind N Z...78
Table of Contents xi Chapter 8: Hey, I Know You: Word Recognition...................81 The Inside Story: Terms for Your Interior...82 Terms for the Outside of Your Body...87 Chapter 9: Deconstruction Junction: Breaking Down Words.......91 Finding Parts of Words...91 Identifying word elements...92 Defining the prefix...92 Defining the root word...93 Identifying the combining vowel...94 Defining the suffix...94 Going Deeper into Suffixes...95 Adding Up Individual Word Meanings...97 Chapter 10: An Org Chart to Live By: Organization of the Body.....101 Looking at the Big Picture...101 Cells...102 Tissues...103 Organs and Systems...103 Cavities of the Body...104 Directional Terms and Anatomical Planes...106 Regions of the Body...108 Chapter 11: All Systems Go: When Systems Combine.............111 Anatomical Systems Working Together...111 The musculoskeletal system...112 The integumentary system...112 The sensory system...112 Physiology Systems Working Together...113 The cardiovascular and lymphatic systems...113 The respiratory system...114 The gastrointestinal system...115 The endocrine system...116 The nervous system...118 The urinary and reproductive systems...119 Par t III: In Terms of Anatomy... 121 Chapter 12: Boning Up on the Skeletal System..................123 How the Skeletal System Works...123 Bones and osteology...124 Axial skeleton...125 Appendicular skeleton...129 Joints...130 Skeletal Root Words...130 More Anatomical Terms...132
xii Medical Terminology For Dummies Common Skeletal Conditions...135 Finding the Culprit: Skeletal Diseases and Pathology...136 Testing, Testing: Skeletal Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...137 Paging Dr. Terminology: Skeletal Surgeries and Procedures...138 Chapter 13: Getting Ripped: The Muscular System...............141 How the Muscular System Works...141 Classes of muscles...142 Types of muscles...143 Muscles and tendons...144 Round-up of the superficial muscles...144 Muscular Roots and Suffixes...148 Action Item: The Movement of Your Muscles...149 Common Muscular Conditions...150 Finding the Culprit: Muscular Diseases and Pathology...151 Testing, Testing: Muscular Radiology and Diagnostic tests...151 Paging Dr. Terminology: Muscular Surgeries and Procedures...152 It s All Related: More Muscular Terms...152 Chapter 14: Skin Deep: Skin, Glands, Nails, and Hair.............155 Layers of Skin...155 Epidermis...156 Dermis...157 Subcutaneous layer...158 Glands, Both Sebaceous and Sudoriferous...158 Hair and Nails...159 Integumentary Root Words...160 Common Integumentary Conditions...162 Finding the Culprit: Integumentary Diseases and Pathology...163 Testing, Testing: Integumentary Radiology and Diagnostic tests...164 Paging Dr. Terminology: Integumentary Surgeries and Procedures...165 It s All Related: More Integumentary Terms...166 Chapter 15: It Depends on Your Perception: The Sensory Systems.........................................169 The Eye...169 Inner eye...171 Outer eye...172 The Ear...172 Outer ear...174 Middle ear...174 Inner ear...174 The Nose...175 The Mouth...176 The Touch Receptor...176 Sensory Root Words...176 It s All Related: More Anatomical Terms...179 Common Sensory Conditions...181
Table of Contents xiii Finding the Culprit: Sensory Diseases and Pathology...183 Testing, Testing: Sensory Radiology and Diagnostic tests...184 Paging Dr. Terminology: Surgeries and Procedures...185 Terminology RX: Sensory Pharmacology...186 Par t IV: Let s Get Some Physiology Terminology... 187 Chapter 16: The Heart of the Matter: The Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems........................189 How the Cardiovascular System Works...189 The heart...190 Blood vessels...192 Blood...194 How the Lymphatic System Works...195 Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Root Words...198 Common Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Conditions...201 Finding the Culprit: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Diseases and Pathology...203 Testing, Testing: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...206 Paging Dr. Terminology: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Surgeries and Procedures...208 Terminology Rx: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Pharmacology...210 Chapter 17: Just Breathe: The Respiratory System...............211 How the Respiratory System Works...211 Nose...213 Pharynx and larynx...213 Trachea...214 Bronchi...214 Lungs...214 Respiratory Root Words...216 It s All Related: More Anatomical Terms...218 Common Respiratory Conditions...220 Finding the Culprit: Respiratory Diseases and Pathology...222 Testing, Testing: Respiratory Radiology and Diagnostic tests...224 Paging Dr. Terminology: Respiratory Surgeries and Procedures...225 Terminology RX: Respiratory Pharmacology...226 Chapter 18: Feeding Time: The Gastrointestinal System..........227 How the Gastrointestinal System Works...228 Mouth and pharynx...229 Esophagus...229 Stomach...230 Liver...230 Pancreas...230 Gallbladder...231
xiv Medical Terminology For Dummies Intestines...231 Gastrointestinal Root Words...232 Common Gastrointestinal Conditions...234 Finding the Culprit: Gastrointestinal Diseases and Pathology...238 Testing, Testing: Gastrointestinal Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...239 Paging Dr. Terminology: Gastrointestinal Surgeries and Procedures...241 Terminology RX: Gastrointestinal Pharmacology...243 Chapter 19: Gatekeepers of Health: The Endocrine System........245 How the Endocrine System Works...245 Hormones...246 Pituitary and hypothalamus...247 Thyroid...249 Pancreas...249 Adrenals...250 Gonads...251 Endocrine Root Words...251 It s All Related: More Endocrine Anatomical Terms...253 Common Endocrine Conditions...254 Finding the Culprit: Endocrine Diseases and Pathology...257 Testing, Testing: Endocrine Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...258 Paging Dr. Terminology: Endocrine Surgeries and Procedures...259 Terminology RX: Endocrine Pharmacology...260 Chapter 20: Calming Down: The Nervous System................261 How the Nervous System Works...261 The Central Nervous System...262 Brain...262 Spinal cord...265 Peripheral Nervous System...265 Nervous Root Words...266 It s All Related: More Nerve-Wracking Terms...268 Common Nervous Conditions...269 Finding the Culprit: Nervous Diseases and Pathology...270 Testing, Testing: Nervous Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...271 Paging Dr. Terminology: Nervous Surgeries and Procedures...273 Terminology RX: Nervous Pharmacology...273 Par t V: Name That Plumbing... 275 Chapter 21: When You Gotta Go: The Urinary System.............277 How the Urinary System Works...277 Kidneys...279 Ureters...280 Urinary bladder...280 Urethra...280 Urinary Root Words...281
Table of Contents xv Common Urinary Conditions...283 Finding the Culprit: Urinary Diseases and Pathology...284 Testing, Testing: Urinary Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...285 Paging Dr. Terminology: Urinary Surgeries and Procedures...287 Terminology RX: Urinary Pharmacology...288 Chapter 22: Checking the Plumbing: The Male Reproductive System................................291 How the Male Reproductive System Works...291 Testes...293 Ducts...293 Urethra...294 Prostate...294 Penis...294 Male Reproductive Root Words...294 Common Male Reproductive Conditions...296 Finding the Culprit: Male Reproductive Diseases and Pathology...297 Testing, Testing: Male Reproductive Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...299 Paging Dr. Terminology: Male Reproductive Surgeries and Procedures...300 Terminology RX: Male Reproductive Pharmacology...301 Chapter 23: A Life Force: The Female Reproductive System.......303 How the Female Reproductive System Works...303 Ovaries...305 Fallopian tubes...305 Uterus...306 Vagina...307 Female Reproductive Root Words...308 It s All Related: More Female Reproductive Anatomical Terms...310 Common Female Reproductive Conditions...313 Finding the Culprit: Female Reproductive Diseases and Pathology...315 Testing, Testing: Female Reproductive Radiology and Diagnostic Tests...316 Paging Dr. Terminology: Female Reproductive Surgeries and Procedures...316 Terminology RX: Female Reproductive Pharmacology...320 Par t VI: The Par t of Tens... 321 Chapter 24: Ten Essential Medical Terminology References......323 Medterms.com...323 Medilexicon.com...323 Merriam-Webster s Medical Desk Dictionary...324 webmd.com...324
xvi Medical Terminology For Dummies Dorland s Illustrated Medical Dictionary...324 Mosby s Medical Dictionary...324 Stedman s Medical Dictionary and Flashcards for Health Professionals and Nursing Illustrated, 5th Edition...325 Taber s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary...325 Medicalmnemonics.com...325 Medical Terminology Systems Quick Study Guide...326 Chapter 25: Ten or So Useful Mnemonic Devices................327 Cranial Nerves...327 Lung Lobe Numbers...327 The Size of a Thyroid...328 Scalp Layers...328 Muscles of the Rotator Cuff...328 Radial Nerve...328 Face Nerves...329 Perineal versus Peroneal...329 Sperm Path through Male Reproductive Tract...329 Carpal Bone Locations...330 Cranial Bones...330 Chapter 26: Ten Fun Word-Building Activities...................331 Word Grouping...331 Using Medical Word Parts You Already Know to Build Words...332 Matching the Word Part to the Definition...332 Crosswords...332 Flashcards...333 Name That System...333 Medical Hangman...334 Word Search...334 Combining Forms...334 Jumble...335 Appendix: Prefixes and Suffixes... 337 Prefixes...338 Suffixes...339 Index... 343